EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP *fangirl scream*
I had chills running up and down my spine as I entered that hall, donned in a black witches hat, in the magnificent ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay sands, Singapore.
Anticipation building ever since I read about the Exhibition in December, I was nearly faint with excitement. In fact, my cousin and I were considering not entering for a while, to build it up even more. But we couldn't resist, and burst in with nervous excitement.
First thing we saw was a huge model of the flying Ford Anglia, suspended from the ceiling in all its Powder Blue glory. Assuming that pictures weren't allowed from this point on, I didn't take a snap, much to my dismay when I found out later that it was allowed at the entrance.
Thats where I bought my Harry Potter Exhibition guide. An amazingly printed book with a replica of Harry's letter in the underflap.
An official gave us scarves and wands (I specifically requested Ravenclaw) and my two cousins and I took a picture in front of a greenscreen (which later became the exterior of Hogwarts) to remember our time here. I did trouble the official for a while, refusing to return the wand or the scarf, but I reluctantly had to hand it over.
It was dimly lit, and movie posters lined the walls, with the Soundtrack playing softly in the background. Heart thudding in my chest, we entered through a fog like screen which had a projection of "Harry Potter: the Exhibition" on it.
We entered an antechamber where an official in robes and hat stood waiting, next to a stool and Sorting Hat in hand. After welcoming us and warning us that photos are strictly prohibited inside the main doors, that we were being constantly monitored by Death Eaters, (and that our muggle cameras wouldn't work anyway) she asked for a volunteer.
True Hermione style, my hand shot up before she finished the word "volunteer".(or in the words of Katniss: I VOLUNTEER!!!!!) . She beckoned me over and this was the dialogue that followed:
She: So whats your name, and where are you from?
Me: Bhavani, I m from Kuwait.
She: ooh!Kuwait! Did you come all this way for the exhibition?
Me: Pretty Much (grins)
She: So how did you get here, Broom, Floo Powder?
Me: Flying carpet (lowers voice to a whisper) I know its illegal, but don't tell anyone
She: I ll let you off this time (winks). So whats your favorite house?
Me: Ravenclaw
She: ohhhh of a sharp mind! Do you think she has the brains to get into Ravenclaw?
(my cousins snigger)
She places the Sorting Hat in my head and a voice from above placed me in...RAVENCLAWW!!
that was an experience in itself.
She then called another girl and asked her the same questions, having answered Gryffindor (as her favorite house) and failing to reply as wittingly as I had done (hem hem) she replied with a weird giggle laugh that she came by MRT because she could find the Hogwarts Express (filthy muggle). To which the girl spontaneously replied: Muggle Rapid Transport? and proceeded to put her in Slytherin for annoying her. (BOOYAH)
We entered the next room... and found a wall with screens on it, which played a video about the wonderful journey of Potter, and the wall opened to reveal the Hogwarts Express!
At that point I had tears in my eyes, seriously missing my Best Potterhead Friend, imagining her hand in mine and our fangirl screams echoing through the halls.
The Exhibition was beyond my imagination. The tiniest details which go into the creation of the costumes and sets were astounding. Every single wand on display was unique; differently carved and coloured to suit the handlers personalities. The feel of the robes (sssh we were not allowed to touch; but couldn't resist fingering Alan Rickman's Snape robes and Tom Felton's Draco Quidditch Robes like a creepy maniac)
They had replicas of Hagrid's hut, Buckbeak, the Forbidden Forest and Umbridge's foul pink office.
They had Quidditch robes, and a game in which you had to throw a Quaffle through a hoop, and another where you could pull a mandrake out of a pot.
They had the robes of almost every member of the cast, exhibits of the Three Hallows and the 6 Horcruxes.
The gift shop was to die for. Unfortunately I had only enough cash for a Tshirt and a Chocolate Frog, and had to resist sliding pens and necklaces, not to mention wands, into my bag.
The Harry Potter Exhibition was a magical experience, a reminder of the amazing vastness of the Potter fandom that we thread in love and excitement forever more...
Always.
Anticipation building ever since I read about the Exhibition in December, I was nearly faint with excitement. In fact, my cousin and I were considering not entering for a while, to build it up even more. But we couldn't resist, and burst in with nervous excitement.
First thing we saw was a huge model of the flying Ford Anglia, suspended from the ceiling in all its Powder Blue glory. Assuming that pictures weren't allowed from this point on, I didn't take a snap, much to my dismay when I found out later that it was allowed at the entrance.
Thats where I bought my Harry Potter Exhibition guide. An amazingly printed book with a replica of Harry's letter in the underflap.
An official gave us scarves and wands (I specifically requested Ravenclaw) and my two cousins and I took a picture in front of a greenscreen (which later became the exterior of Hogwarts) to remember our time here. I did trouble the official for a while, refusing to return the wand or the scarf, but I reluctantly had to hand it over.
It was dimly lit, and movie posters lined the walls, with the Soundtrack playing softly in the background. Heart thudding in my chest, we entered through a fog like screen which had a projection of "Harry Potter: the Exhibition" on it.
We entered an antechamber where an official in robes and hat stood waiting, next to a stool and Sorting Hat in hand. After welcoming us and warning us that photos are strictly prohibited inside the main doors, that we were being constantly monitored by Death Eaters, (and that our muggle cameras wouldn't work anyway) she asked for a volunteer.
True Hermione style, my hand shot up before she finished the word "volunteer".(or in the words of Katniss: I VOLUNTEER!!!!!) . She beckoned me over and this was the dialogue that followed:
She: So whats your name, and where are you from?
Me: Bhavani, I m from Kuwait.
She: ooh!Kuwait! Did you come all this way for the exhibition?
Me: Pretty Much (grins)
She: So how did you get here, Broom, Floo Powder?
Me: Flying carpet (lowers voice to a whisper) I know its illegal, but don't tell anyone
She: I ll let you off this time (winks). So whats your favorite house?
Me: Ravenclaw
She: ohhhh of a sharp mind! Do you think she has the brains to get into Ravenclaw?
(my cousins snigger)
She places the Sorting Hat in my head and a voice from above placed me in...RAVENCLAWW!!
that was an experience in itself.
She then called another girl and asked her the same questions, having answered Gryffindor (as her favorite house) and failing to reply as wittingly as I had done (hem hem) she replied with a weird giggle laugh that she came by MRT because she could find the Hogwarts Express (filthy muggle). To which the girl spontaneously replied: Muggle Rapid Transport? and proceeded to put her in Slytherin for annoying her. (BOOYAH)
At that point I had tears in my eyes, seriously missing my Best Potterhead Friend, imagining her hand in mine and our fangirl screams echoing through the halls.
The Exhibition was beyond my imagination. The tiniest details which go into the creation of the costumes and sets were astounding. Every single wand on display was unique; differently carved and coloured to suit the handlers personalities. The feel of the robes (sssh we were not allowed to touch; but couldn't resist fingering Alan Rickman's Snape robes and Tom Felton's Draco Quidditch Robes like a creepy maniac)
They had replicas of Hagrid's hut, Buckbeak, the Forbidden Forest and Umbridge's foul pink office.
They had Quidditch robes, and a game in which you had to throw a Quaffle through a hoop, and another where you could pull a mandrake out of a pot.
They had the robes of almost every member of the cast, exhibits of the Three Hallows and the 6 Horcruxes.
The gift shop was to die for. Unfortunately I had only enough cash for a Tshirt and a Chocolate Frog, and had to resist sliding pens and necklaces, not to mention wands, into my bag.
The Harry Potter Exhibition was a magical experience, a reminder of the amazing vastness of the Potter fandom that we thread in love and excitement forever more...
Always.
